Director of Finance
Salary: £55,000 - £60,000 depending on experience (pro rata, per annum)
Location: Leeds Central Team and hybrid
Hours: 37 hours per week (full-time)
Closing date: We are recruiting on a rolling basis, with interviews scheduled as applications are received. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interview shortly after applying. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if a suitable candidate is appointed before the closing date.
Interview date: Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview as soon as possible with interviews planned on a rolling basis.
To apply please directly email [email protected] your CV and a 2-page covering letter setting out how you meet the role requirements/person specification listed on the job description .
Please note that a cover letter is required as part of your application.
Applications without a covering letter will not be considered.
The role is only open to women, in accordance with the sex-based exemptions of the Equality Act 2010 pursuant to Schedule 9, Part 1.
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Role Summary
The Director of Finance is a key member of Together Women's Executive Team and plays a pivotal role in shaping the organisation's strategic direction, financial sustainability and future growth.
Working closely with the Chief Executive, Board of Trustees, Finance Committee and Executive Team, the Director of Finance will provide strategic financial leadership, ensuring the organisation has robust financial management, strong governance, effective controls and high-quality financial insight to support confident decision making.
The role combines strategic leadership with operational oversight. The successful candidate will lead the finance function, develop financial systems and processes, support organisational growth and ensure Together Women continues to operate with the highest standards of financial management and governance.
This role is about much more than producing financial reports. It is about influencing decisions, identifying opportunities, managing risk and providing trusted advice that enables the organisation to deliver its mission and achieve its long-term ambitions.
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For more information and the complete role profile, please visit https://togetherwomen.org/work-for-us/
The successful applicant will be subject to an enhanced DBS check and Enhanced Level 1 Vetting.
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Join Our Team
Together Women is one of the UK's leading specialist charities supporting women and girls facing multiple disadvantage. For almost twenty years we have delivered trauma informed, gender responsive services that help women overcome the issues that have brought them into contact with the criminal justice system or place them at risk of entering it.
Working across Yorkshire and the North of England, we deliver a diverse portfolio of commissioned services, charitable programmes and innovative national pilots. We are recognised nationally for our expertise, our influence and our commitment to improving outcomes for women and girls.
As we continue to grow and expand our impact, we are seeking an exceptional Director of Finance to join our Executive Team.
This is a rare opportunity to play a central role in shaping the future of a respected and ambitious organisation.
What we can offer you
Employee Benefits:
- 25 days holiday increasing by one day per year to a max of 30 days, plus public holidays
- Pension scheme with a 5% employer contribution, rising to a maximum 10% matched contribution after 7+ years of service.
- We offer an annual cost of living increase of up to 4%, subject to agreement of the National Joint Council (NJC) for Local Authority Services and Funding permitted.
- Enhanced Training and Induction programme covering all areas of Together Women’s work
- Access to our Employee Assistance Programme with free telephone counselling service
- Clinical Supervision for all frontline key workers
- Employee eye-care scheme and free eye tests
- Organisation-wide away days
- Career development pathways
For further information or an informal chat about the role, please contact Rokaiya Khan (CEO) at [email protected] or 07767 843139
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We actively encourage applications from women from a variety of backgrounds, and with a range of skills and experiences. We are particularly interested to hear from Black, Asian and minority ethnic women and women who have personal experience of the criminal justice system.
The role is only open to women, in accordance with the sex-based exemptions of the Equality Act 2010 pursuant to Schedule 9, Part 1.
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Key Responsibilities
Strategic Financial Leadership
- Provide strategic financial leadership across the organisation.
- Develop long term financial plans that support Together Women's strategic ambitions.
- Advise the Chief Executive, Executive Team and Board on financial strategy, sustainability and risk.
- Lead financial modelling, scenario planning and business planning.
- Ensure the organisation maintains appropriate reserves, cashflow and financial resilience.
- Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, maximise resources and strengthen financial sustainability.
Executive Leadership and Business Partnering
- Work collaboratively as a member of the Executive Team to shape organisational strategy and performance. Act as a trusted adviser to the Chief Executive, providing timely, balanced and commercially astute financial advice.
- Build strong relationships with Directors and managers, supporting them to understand financial performance, manage budgets and make informed decisions.
- Support the development of new services, contracts and business opportunities through financial modelling and costing.
- Contribute to organisational planning, transformation and continuous improvement.
Financial Management and Governance
- Lead the preparation of annual budgets, management accounts, statutory accounts and financial forecasts.
- Ensure robust financial controls, compliance and effective governance across the organisation.
- Lead the annual audit process and maintain excellent relationships with external auditors.
- Ensure compliance with charity, company and financial legislation.
- Present high-quality financial reports to the Board of Trustees and Finance Committee, translating complex financial information into clear, meaningful insight.
- Ensure effective management of restricted funds, grant reporting and contract finances.
Leadership of the Finance Function
- Provide leadership, support and development to the finance team, creating a high performing and customer focused finance service.
- Develop efficient financial systems, processes and controls that support a growing organisation.
- Promote continuous improvement through digital innovation, automation and modern financial practices.
- Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous learning.
Income Growth and Organisational Development
- Support the Chief Executive and Director of Development in preparing financially robust funding applications, tenders and business cases.
- Develop project budgets and financial models for new opportunities.
- Provide financial due diligence for partnerships, contracts and new initiatives.
- Support contract mobilisation and ongoing financial performance monitoring.
Risk, Assurance and Compliance
- Maintain a proactive approach to financial risk management.
- Ensure appropriate financial policies, procedures and internal controls are in place and regularly reviewed.
- Support organisational assurance through effective risk reporting and compliance monitoring.
- Work closely with the Finance Committee, Trustees and external stakeholders to maintain confidence in Together Women's financial stewardship.
Role Requirments
Essential
Qualifications
- Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or equivalent).
Experience
- Significant senior financial leadership experience within a complex organisation.
- Experience of advising Boards, Committees and senior leadership teams.
- Experience of leading annual budgeting, forecasting, cashflow management and statutory accounts.
- Experience of managing audits and working effectively with external auditors.
- Experience of leading and developing finance teams.
- Experience of financial planning within organisations delivering multiple funding streams, contracts or grant funded programmes.
- Experience of developing financial systems, improving processes and driving continuous improvement.
Knowledge and Skills
- Excellent strategic financial planning and analytical skills.
- Ability to interpret complex financial information and communicate it clearly to non-finance audiences.
- Strong commercial awareness and sound business judgement.
- Excellent leadership, influencing and relationship building skills.
- Strong understanding of governance, risk management and internal controls.
- Ability to balance strategic thinking with operational delivery.
Personal Qualities
- High levels of integrity and professional credibility.
- Collaborative and approachable leadership style.
- Excellent judgement and sound decision making.
- Solutions focused with the confidence to challenge constructively.
- Highly organised with excellent attention to detail.
- Resilient, adaptable and able to work effectively in a fast-changing environment.
- Passionate about Together Women's mission and committed to equality, diversity and inclusion.
Desirable
- Experience within the charity or not for profit sector.
- Experience of charity accounting, restricted funds and SORP.
- Experience of contract costing, commissioning or public sector funding.
- Experience of supporting organisational growth and change.
- Experience of financial systems implementation or digital transformation.
What success looks like
Within the first 12 months you will have:
- Strengthened Together Women's financial planning and reporting.
- Built trusted relationships with the Board, Executive Team and managers.
- Established yourself as a trusted strategic adviser to the Chief Executive and Board.
- Developed a high performing finance function.
- Enhanced financial systems, controls and business intelligence.
- Supported successful funding bids, new contracts and organisational growth.
More about Together Women and the team you will be joining
Together Women is a specialist women’s charity with a strong regional presence and a growing national profile. For 20 years, we have supported women and girls facing some of the most complex challenges in their lives, particularly those in contact with, or at risk of entering, the criminal justice system. We combine direct frontline delivery with strong partnerships, innovation, evidence and influencing, and we are ambitious about what comes next.
We are a growing organisation, with turnover expected to be around £3.7 million this year, funded through a mix of commissioned contracts, grants, trusts and foundations and partnership arrangements. This creates an interesting and varied financial environment. We are not a single contract organisation with a straightforward income model, so our Director of Finance needs to understand the whole picture, help us make good decisions and be comfortable working alongside colleagues who are developing new services, partnerships and opportunities.
Our senior leadership team is small, experienced and collaborative. The Director of Finance will work closely with the Chief Executive, Director of Services, Director of Development and Director of People, and will play an important role in shaping the organisation’s direction and priorities.
We are looking for someone who wants to understand the organisation beyond the numbers. Someone who is interested in how our services work, understands the pressures and opportunities we are managing and can bring clear, thoughtful financial insight into both strategic and operational decision making.
Our central team is based at Joseph’s Well in Leeds, where we moved into new offices earlier this year. It is a fantastic working environment, with our offices situated alongside our Leeds Women’s Centre. This gives our central team its own dedicated space while keeping us closely connected to frontline delivery.
A number of our central functions are based at Joseph’s Well, including the Chief Executive, Executive Assistant, Communications and Fundraising, HR and Finance, alongside other colleagues who provide support across our services, contracts and wider organisation.
Beyond our central base in Leeds, Together Women operates across a wide geographical footprint. We have established Women’s Centres in Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield and Hull, alongside services and outreach in Wakefield, Halifax, Huddersfield and Bridlington. Our teams also work in prisons, Approved Premises and other criminal justice and community settings, meaning our work reaches well beyond our physical Women’s Centres.
That breadth makes Together Women an interesting organisation from a finance perspective. The Director of Finance will work across different contracts, grants, commissioning arrangements and service models, supporting teams operating in very different environments and communities.
Our work is deliberately varied. We provide specialist Women’s Centre and community services, work with women in prisons and Approved Premises, deliver criminal justice diversion and early intervention programmes, housing and accommodation support, counselling and specialist interventions, and work closely with Probation, prisons, health services, local authorities, police and voluntary sector partners.
We are also continuing to develop new areas of work. This includes NEST, our innovative programme for girls and young women aged 14 to 25, alongside our involvement in developments such as the Women’s Intensive Supervision Court. We are an organisation that is constantly looking at where the gaps are, what women and girls need and how we can work differently to improve outcomes.
Alongside service delivery, we are increasingly focused on demonstrating impact and influencing wider systems. We want to understand not only how much we do, but whether it works, what it costs, where investment makes the greatest difference and how that evidence can help shape future services and policy. Finance therefore has an important role in our future development and in helping us understand the relationship between resources, quality, impact and sustainability.
How we work
This will be a hybrid role, and we recognise the importance of flexibility. At the same time, relationships matter at Together Women, and we want our senior leaders to be visible, accessible and connected to the organisation.
The Director of Finance will have their main base with our central team at Joseph’s Well and we would encourage regular time in the office alongside visits to our Women’s Centres and other services. We want the person joining us to get to know our managers and frontline teams and to understand firsthand how different parts of the organisation operate.
There will naturally be times when working from home makes sense and other times when being together as a senior team, working alongside colleagues or visiting services is important. We are looking for someone who is comfortable with that balance and who enjoys building relationships across a geographically dispersed organisation.
The kind of person who will thrive here
Together Women is a friendly, values led organisation, but we are also busy, ambitious and continuing to grow and change. We do not expect the Director of Finance to arrive with every answer. We do expect them to be curious, approachable and interested in really understanding the organisation.
We want someone who is confident enough to challenge when needed, but who also wants to help find the solution. Someone who can sit with Trustees discussing reserves and long term sustainability one day, work with the Director of Development on the finances for a new funding opportunity the next, and then help a service manager understand what their budget is telling them.
We value people who can make complicated things understandable, who bring sound judgement rather than unnecessary process, and who recognise that good financial leadership is about enabling an organisation to make confident choices as well as maintaining strong controls.
We are looking for someone who wants to bring their expertise to an organisation with real purpose, and who wants to play an active part in shaping what Together Women does next.
To apply please directly email [email protected] your CV and a 2-page covering letter setting out how you meet the role requirements/person specification listed on the job description .
Applications without a covering letter will not be considered.
The role is only open to women, in accordance with the sex-based exemptions of the Equality Act 2010 pursuant to Schedule 9, Part 1.
Pay: £55,000.00-£60,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Enhanced maternity leave
- Sick pay
Application question(s):
- The role is only open to women, in accordance with the sex-based exemptions of the Equality Act 2010 pursuant to Schedule 9, Part 1.
- Are you a qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or equivalent)?
- As part of your application, you must include a cover letter (maximum 2 pages) outlining how you meet the role requirements and person specification set out in the job description.
*Applications submitted without a cover letter will not be considered.*
Work Location: In person
